Here we are, just 15 short days away from the Election 2012. We have two presidential debates and one VP debate under our belts (with one presidential debate on foreign policy left to go tonight--and of course you'll be coming back to Glamour.com to review it with us, right?). Although national polls show the candidates neck and neck--though their margins vary depending on the sources you seek out--the same doesn’t hold true if you break it down among men and women. That's not news; the gender gap is no stranger to the Election 2012 narrative. But according to Nate Silver, the statistics mastermind behind the New York Times political blog FiveThirtyEight, it’s even wider than ever. read more

Picture the average Twitter user. Do you see a young woman hashtagging and retweeting away on her iPhone to her 208 followers? If so, you are 1) remarkably skilled with analytics and 2) correct. According to a recent study from analytics firm Beevolve (as reported by GigaOM), she—yes, Twitter users are predominately female—falls into the aforementioned smartphone-carrying, 200-ish follower-having demographic. Seems about right, yeah? read more

Between that Coachella hologram and HUGE numbers from independent donors, super PACs are causing a lot of buzz this year. With a little less than a month to go until election day (BTW—have you registered to vote yet? Today's the deadline in some states!), both candidates are in the final countdown—or is it the final count-up?—to raise money and get their message out. read more

Question: When Greg Daniels and Mike Schur created Parks and Rec all those years ago, do you think they envisioned it becoming an allegory for modern times? Well, more accurately, an allegory for New York City in 2012? read more

This whole summer-to-fall transition thing? It's kind of lost on me. I haven't done any sort of back to school shopping in years, and I've never had a pumpkin spice latte. Because I abstain from these seasonal rites of passage, August and September tend to blur together in my mind. However, one thing that does clearly signify the change in seasons: the premiere of fall TV. And, this fall, I'm particularly psyched for the return of Parks and Recreation tomorrow, Thursday, Sept. 20 at 9:30 p.m. EST. read more

Facebook: It's not just for posting photos of last Saturday’s party and wishing your sophomore year roommate a happy birthday anymore! As online and offline presence continues to blend, a recent report from Science magazine indicates that Facebook has a tangible effect on real-life behavior—particularly when it comes to voting. read more

A few weeks ago, I found myself embroiled in a heated debate. The subject? Haley Joel Osment's filmography. A niche argument category, yes, but the discussion was fierce: Think voices raising, arms flailing, fists pounding, tempers flaring (it wasn't that intense but that makes a better visual). A wager was placed, and a small fortune of $1 rested on what year The Sixth Sense star's lesser-known film Second Hand Lions was released. I said it was pre-2004. My friend Oliver insisted it was 2009. Lucky for me, we had the Internet at ready disposal and were able to look up the answer (It was 2003). Ridiculous story short: the Internet is a marvelous thing. …Except for when it isn’t. read more

Let's recap what happened in the news last week, shall we? From Paul Ryan's track record with abortion legislation and the final footage shot by a Japanese journalist killed in Syria to a tribute to Phyllis Diller, check it all out after the jump! read more

Every woman knows blazers are a must for fall, especially when they come with a message of gender equality. Enter former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and South Carolina Financier Darla Moore, two accomplished women who are adding an iconic blazer to their own fall wardrobes...the Augusta National Golf Club green jacket. This morning, the AP reported that the historically male-only club will admit the two ladies—the first female members in the club's history—when it re-opens for the season this October. read more

How about that Paul Ryan, huh? When the Wisconsin congressman was announced as the VP nominee this weekend, Mitt Romney put an end to all GOP guessing—Condi! Pawlenty!—regarding his running mate. Now, with only 83 days left until the general election, we're entering the final stretch: the conventions, the campaign commercials, the emails flooding your inbox asking for donations. Among the 24-hour media coverage, there's one place where the recently-announced alliterative ticket (as well as the Obama-Biden incumbents) can really showcase their platforms: the televised debates. read more

How does the American public consume its news? Which celebrities are supporting Mitt Romney? What science fair is turning out breast cancer diagnoses in lieu of volcanos? Find the answers to these questions (and more!) in this week's roundup. read more

Could Condoleeza Rice by Mitt Romney's pick for VP? Should a 20-year-old who punched a catcaller be hailed as a hero? What CNN anchor inspired Aaron Sorkin to create Olivia Munn's character in The Newsroom? We've got the answers in this week's news roundup! read more

Here we are, two weeks after the Supreme Court voted in favor of upholding the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act—that’s two whole Barenaked Ladies songs ago!—which seems Paleolithic in the age of the 24-hour news cycle. Aside from restructuring our current healthcare system, this bill means major changes for women’s healthcare—major changes that I outlined shortly after the ruling was announced. It’s been a fortnight since the ruling (nerd word alert! But honestly, how often do you get to use "fortnight" in conversation, let alone in The Conversation?), and the country has had some time to let it all sink in. Now I want to know what you, the readers of Glamour.com, think of Obamacare. read more

Question for you, dear Glamour.com readers: Is this the observed Fourth of July weekend or was it last? The mid-week 4th has thrown me for a complete loop. Regardless of which weekend you choose to celebrate America's 236th b-day, the news rests for no federal holiday. This week, I have stories on Mitt Romney's possible VP, the insane weather the country's been experiencing lately, and a collection of photographs of politicians during their awkward high school days. Enough of the intros, let's get started with the news, shall we? read more

Monday morning: You have your coffee, and you have your news roundup. Everything you need to start the week with guns blazing. This week's edition is special--it features one reader's experience at the Vaginas Take Back the Capital event in Michigan (exciting, right?). I also have stories on comedy controversy (what's up, Adam Carolla?), pink journalism, and the true cost of discount shopping. What other stories caught my attention this week (and I hope grab yours, too)? Find out after the jump. read more

I considered myself a pretty active high school student--I aced my forehand at tennis practice, studied hard for chem quiz, and even put effort into contemplating whether I could rock a trucker hat (What can I say? The early ’00s were crazy style times). But three New Jersey-based high school sophomores, Emma Axelrod, Sammi Siegel, and Elena Tsemberis, are defining their "active" high school careers sliiiightly differently. How? Oh, y'know, they're just launching a national campaign to call upon the Commission for Presidential Debates to appoint a female moderator for the first time in 20 years. Told you. Normal teenage shenanigans. read more